Railway hopper car door locks



Dec. 6, 1960 o. INGRAM ET AL RAILWAY HOPPER CAR DOOR LOCKS 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 25, 1956 INVENTORS 0/? was //VGEAM "M 14414 lAM EW/NE (fit-c Dec. 6, 1960 0. INGRAM ETAL 2,962,983

RAILWAY HOPPER CAR DOOR LOCKS Filed Sept. 25, 1956 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS I05 ORV/LL 5 //V6/FAM 0 W/L L MM 5. l Vl/vrffi'cmsw), BY 0RV/L z 5 l/vmm 0 Wu z MAI-1678504 HFCUTOES Dec. 6, 1960 o. INGRAM ETAL 2,962,983 RAILWAY HOPPER CAR 000R LOCKS Filed Spt. 25, 1956 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS 1960 o. INGRAM ETAL 2,962,983

RAILWAY HOPPERCAR DOOR LOCKS Filed Sept. 25, 1956 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS ORV/L z e Mam/w "1v,

Dec. 6, 1960 o. INGRAM ETAL RAILWAY HOPPER CAR DOOR LOCKS Filed Sept. 25, 1956 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 m Q m 5 J 0 Md 7 m Dec. 6, 1960 o. INGRAM ETAL RAILWAY HOPPER CAR noon LOCKS 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Sept. 25, 1956 INVENTORS ORV/l 45 //V6RAM a Dec. 6, 1960 o. INGRAM ETAL 2,962,983

RAILWAY HOPPER CAR DOOR LOCKS Filed Sept. 25, 1956 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTORS 0KV/L LE Mam/w 0 VV/LL/AM EW/NE (05654350), BYOKWLLE/N/PAM "0 W/umMJfi/asom Dec. 6, 1960 o. INGRAM ETAL RAILWAY HOPPER CAR DOOR LOCKS 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Sept. 25, 1956 INVENTOR 5 0e V/L 4 E Ame/4M -p Wu 1 MM [JV/NE (05054550), av OW/Mi/MMM lV/lU/IMJ 6/550 RAILWAY HOPPER CAR DOOR LOCKS Filed Sept. 25,- 1956, Ser. No. 612,030

6 Claims. (Cl. 105-308) Our invention relates to railway hopper car door mech anisms for retaining in closed position a hinged door adapted to. swing to open position under the influence of gravity to permit the lading of the car to be discharged, and is filed concurrently with an application'of Orville Ingram and William I. Gibson, executors of the estate of William E. Wine, deceased, Serial No. 612,029. 7

The principal object of the invention is to provide strong, simple and eflicient means for retaining a car door in closed position, which may be manually unlocked,by the use of an individual door operable type lockingfmech- A primary feature of the invention consists in providing, in combination with a hinged door movable to open position under the influence of gravity, means for supporting the door in closed position involving a plurality of operable members rigidly mounted on and swingable with the door, and having a portion engageable with an initially adjustable member rigidly mounted within the lading retaining zone of the hopper to hold the door in closed position. w h

A further feature of the invention consists in providing, in combination with a hinged door movable to open position under the influence of gravity, 9. housing means mounted on and swingable with the door, said housing extending through an-opening in the door and having a flange portion engaging the outer face of the door. This flange portion is mounted on the outer face so that the mounting means will not be subject to corrosive elements of coal.

A still further feature of the invention consists in providing, in combination with a hinged door movable to open position under the influence of gravity, a lock controlling mechanism mounted on the face of the hinged door in an easily accessible position consistent with safety requirements, that is, so that the operators arm will not be in the path of movement of the door, or lading discharge;

A still further feature of the invention consists in providing, in combination with the hinged door movable to an open position under the influence of gravity, housing means mounted on and swingable-with the-door, said housing extending through an opening in-the door and having a flange portion engaging the outer face of the door. This flange portion is mounted on the outer face of the door so that the mounting means will not be subject to corrosive elements of the coal lading, and at the same time reinforce the opening of the door.

In the accompanying drawings our invention consists of the formation, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be herein described and particularly claimed.

States Patent 2,962,983 Patented Dee. a, teen retains the lading in the hopper proper.

shows in section the relationship of parts of our new and improved individually operated lock.

Figure 4 is a fragmental section taken on line '4--4 of Fig. 3 and shows the relationship of the lading retaining door and a cast frame, which reinforces the hopper and f; more particularly a plan view of the initially adjustable movement of said bolt in extreme cases.

bolt keeper. r t

Figure 5 is a section showing the formation, assemblage and relationship of the operating parts of our improved door locking mechanism, including the housing mounted on the face of the door which extends through an opening in the door and into the lading retaining hopper, particularly showingthe lock operating arm extending, in a loosely fitted manner, into the bolt; and also an opening in the bolt to receive an insertable bar for initial This figure also shows the relationship of the adjustable keeper .and a wedge by which it may be initially adjusted prior to fixedly mounting the keeper in position.

' Figure 6 is taken on line 6'6"of Fig; 5 and shows in cross section and locking bolt and more particularly the guides for retaining thebolt in operable position during movement. h Figure 7 is an end elevational view showing the flanges of the locking mechanism housing extending and secured a to the face of the lading retaining'door, as well as showing 'in detail the bearing housings and relationship of the bearings and operating bar thereto.

- Figure, 8 shows a side ing bolt.

Figure 9 shows front elevational view of the operating bolt, particularly showing an opening for receiving an insertable bar for initially 'moving the bolt in extreme conditions, as well as a bifurcated tongue.

Figure 10 is a plan view of 'the initially adjustable keeper.

Figure 11 is a side elevational view of the initially adjustable keeper, particularly showing the portion which extends through an opening in the floor of the lading retaining hopper which cooperates with a means to initially adjust the keeper with the assemblage of parts.

Figure 12 is a side elevational view of the operating arm.

Figure 13 is a sectional view of the integral bearing housing showing the bearings and the operating bar as well as the operating arm in operable relation.

Figure 14 is an elevational end view of the bearings shown in Fig. 13, particularly pointing out the ribs integral therewith to hold into operable relation the operating bar.-

Figure 15 is an end elevational view of the operating mechanism shown mounted on a fragmental section of the lading retaining hopper door. The operating mechanism as shown is in fully locked position. t

Figure 16 is an end view of the control mechanism showing the locking pawl in fully locked position.

elevational view of the operat- Figure 17 is an end elevational view of the control mechanism and shows the relationship of the operating shaft and bearings for retaining such shaft, as well as the means for mounting the control mechanism to the face of the door.

Figure 18 is an end elevational view of a part of the control mechanism showing the socket for receiving and inserting a pry bar, cast integral therewith is a bearing, and cooperating ribs to act with a pawl for preventing movement of the control mechanism, which is more clearly shown in Fig. 15.

Referring now in more detail to the drawings, the center sill of the car is indicated as at 20, and forms the backbone of the hopper car. Riveted to the center sill 20 is the inside hopper sheet 21. Lower fioor sheet 22, the outside hopper sheet 23 and inside hopper sheet 21 form substantially the lading retaining hopper 24. The longitudinal hood 25, cross ridge sheet 26 attached to side sill 27 and center sill 20 together with the reinforcing hopper frame 28 preferentially shown as a onepiece cast steel member and door 35 complete the lading retaining hopper. Cast integral with hopper frame 28 are hinge lugs 29 and 30. Mounted in operable relation with hinge lugs 29 and 30 are hinges 31 and 32 by the use of hinge pins 33 and 34. Attached to hinges 31 and 32 is the door 35 and when held in engaging relation with frame 28 by suitably holding or locking mechanism serves to retain lading within the hopper 24. Side 36 attached to side sill angle 27 functions as a lading retaining wall until unloading operations cause lading to pass by gravity into hopper 24. Cross tie angle 37 is shown as a standard alternate and is used to connect an adjacent hopper in an effort to subdue spreading of the hoppers when the car body weaves under motion of the car on uneven track conditions.

Locking mechanism details within lading zone The locking mechanism referred to above consists of the following relationship and details of parts. Cast housing 40 is mounted on door 35 by riveting or welding housing flange 41 to the non-lading retaining face of the door as at 42. The body portion of housing 40 passes through opening 43 in the door and into the lading retaining space of the hopper structure. Cast integral within the body portion of housing 40 are guides 44, 45 and 46 which restrict movements of bolt 47 when under the load of locking action. Bolt 47 consists of a first body portion having an insertable pry retaining element 48, an opening 49 for receiving an insertable pry means surrounded by pry retaining element 48, wall 50, wall 51 and spacer wall 52. A second body portion of bolt 47 consists of a recessed portion 53 surrounded by a spacer wall 52, a continuation of walls 50 and 51 and an inclined bottom element 54. A third portion or tongue 55 completes the details of bolt 47. Tongue 55 has an inclined surface 56 and a bifurcated tip 57. Tongue 55 has an engaging surface 59 relieved at its tip, which when in contact with keeper 60 holds the door 35 in locked position.

Keeper 60 comprises a first or plate portion 61 having an engaging face 62 substantially parallel to the face of the door 35. Relieved portion 63 will when door 35 is moved from open to closed position assist in raising contact bolt 47 to clear portion 61 of keeper 60 so that bolt 47 will drop by gravity into eugageable, or locking relation with keeper 60. The second portion of keeper 60 consists of a pyramidal-like integral reinforcing rib 38 positioned so that the bifurcated portion 57 of tongue 55 will overlie said reinforcing rib 38. When the bifurcated tongue 55 is brought into locking relation with keeper 60 the tapered surface of the bifurcated tongue 57 will move foreign objects in its path of movement, permitting full engagement of the bolt 47 and keeper 60. A third portion of the keeper 60 consists of a tail-like extension or plate portion connecting first, second, and fourth portions and extending over an opening 164 in floor sheet 22. A

fourth portion of keeper 60 consists of a lug 65 having a shank 64 which extends through opening 164 which opening is larger than lug 65. Lug 65 has a lateral projecting portion 66 lying substantially parallel to the slope of floor sheet 22 and at substantially right angles to projection 66. Lateral projecting portion 66 of lug 65 provides a support for an insertable wedge 67.

Operative relationship of housed bolt and mounted keeper Housing 40 may conveniently be pre-assembled to door 35, bolt 47 inserted in the housing and held in position by an operating link 68. Keeper 60 may then be loosely mounted on the hopper floor sheet 22 and held in preliminary position by lug 65 contacting an edge of the material surrounding the opening. When the door is swung to closed position the preliminary relationship of bolt 47 and keeper 60 will be established. Insertable wedge 67 is then placed in position between shank 64 of lug 65 and frame 28. The wedge is held in place by projection 66 of lug 65. Wedge 67 may be then forceably moved. The wedge acting on the lug during this movement will move keeper 60 within opening 164 until bolt surface 59 and keeper surface 62 are in proper relation to hold door 35 in a practicable fitted relation to frame 28. The keeper 60 is then welded in a fixed position to the lower floor sheet 22 and the hopper frame 28.

Details of locking mechanism (outside lading zone) Integral with housing flange 41 of housing 40 are bearing retaining housings 69 and 70. Inserted in bearing retaining housings 69 and 70 are bearings 71 and 72. These bearings are provided with inner ribs 73, 74, 75 and 76 which contact and hold operating shaft 77 in position which shaft is to be rotated during locking or unlocking operations. Rotatable operating shaft 77 passes through bearing 72 then through a substantially square opening of link 68, then through bearing 71. It can easily be seen that when operating shaft 77 is rotated link 68 will move up or down accordingly as the shaft is rotated. Link 68 being operatively connected to bolt 47 will raise or lower, thus either engaging or disengaging bolt 47 from keeper 61 thereby either locking or unlocking the mechanism. When the locking mechanism is disengaged the door 35 will swing open by gravity.

Operating shaft 77 extends substantially parallel to the face of the door to the control elements of the locking mechanism.

Details of control mechanism The control mechanism is mounted near the outer marginal edge of the door 35 and consists in part of an integral bearing 80 and a socket 81 for receiving an insertable bar. Split bearing housings 82 and 83 are provided to receive and hold bearing 80 in rotatable position. A dog or pawl 84 is provided so that when holding face is in engagement with the shaft housing 85 the shaft 77 will not rotate.

The operating elements consist of a substantially cylindrical portion or socket 81, an integral shaft housing 85, for receiving an insertable bar which when moved in an arcuate path will rotate shaft housing 85 and shaft 77 which is confined in shaft housing 85 and operate the cooperating locking mechanism elements. Shaft housing 85 is provided with projections 86 and 87 placed in parallel relationship to receive pawl 84.

When pawl 84 is in engaging relation with shaft housing 85 and the shaft has a tendency to rotate either projection 86 or 87 will contact pawl 84 and hold the shaft 77 in a non-rotatable status.

Split bearing housing 83 is mounted on the outside face of door 35 and stools 88 and 89, as well as the flat portion 90 will hold bearing surface 91 in aligned relation with bearing housing 69 and 70 so that bearing 80 will be in aligned relationship with bearings 71 and 72. Stool 88 is provided with a recessed portion 92 for receiving stool masses 5 93 of split housing 82. This assembly of parts will position the contact surface 94 bearing housing 82 in workable relationship with surface 91 of bearing 80. Stool 95 has a recessed portion for receiving stool 96 onwhich is mounted rotatable pawl 84 and hold housings 83 and 82 in spaced relation so that pawl 84 may rotate freely.

Operating shaft 77 is conveniently welded to housing 85 as at 97 to hold the shaft in place.

The bearing portion 80 of the control operating mechanism is provided with collars 98 and 99 which further limit the longitudinal movement of operating bar 77 when said bar is welded to housing 85 as at 97. Bearing portion 80 is further provided with a substantially square opening 100 and ribs 101, 102, 103 and 104 for receiving and holding operating bar 77 in position.

When critical weather conditions cause moisture to freeze about the tongue 55 of bolt 47 an insertable bar may be placed in opening 49 pivot about link 68 affording a direct pry to initially disengage bolt 47 from its keeper 60 within the limits of clearance between link 68 and the recessed portion 53 of bolt 47.

Reinforcement angle 105 is placed at the lower edge of the door 35 as a stiffening means for the door at this point.

We claim:

1. A door locking mechanism for a hinged door swingable to close a discharge opening of a hopper of a railway hopper car, comprising a housing fixedly mounted on an outside face of and extending through an opening in said door, said housing in a closed position of said door extending into said hopper for protecting parts of said mechanism from lading, a keeper mounted in said hopper within said discharge opening thereof and initially adjustable in spacing relative to said opening from without said hopper, means movably mounted in said housing and engageable with said keeper in said closed position for locking said door in said position, and means including a shaft mounted on said outside face of said door and connected to said movably mounted means for controlling operation of said mechanism.

2. A door locking mechanism for a hinged door swingable to close a discharge opening of a hopper of a railway hopper car, comprising a housing fixedly mounted on an outside face of and extending through an opening in said door, said housing in a closed position of said door extending into said hopper for protecting parts of said mechanism from lading, a keeper mounted on a floor of said hopper within said discharge opening, said keeper including a catch portion, a pyramidal portion inwardly of and integral with said catch portion, a plate portion integral with said first named portions and extending inwardly therefrom along said floor of said hopper, and a lug depending from said plate portion and projecting through an opening in said floor, adjusting means below said floor and engageable with said lug for initially adjusting the spacing of said keeper relative to said discharge opening, bolt means movably mounted in said housing and engageable with said catch and pyramidal portions of said keeper in said closed position for locking said door in said position, and means including a shaft mounted on said outside face of said door and connected to said bolt means for controlling operation of said mechanism.

3. A door locking mechanism for a hinged door swingable to close a discharge opening of a hopper of a railway hopper car, comprising a housing fixedly mounted on an outside face of and extending through an opening in said door, said housing in a closed position of said door extending into said hopper for protecting parts of said mechanism from lading, a keeper mounted on a floor of said hopper within said discharge opening, said keeper including a catch portion, a pyramidal portion inwardly of and integral with said catch portion, a plate portion integral with said first named portions and extending inwardly therefrom along said floor of said hopper, and a lug depending from said plate portion and extending through an opening in said floor and therebelow h aving a lateral projection, wedge means below saidfloor and engageable with and supportable on said lateral projection of said lug for adjusting the initial spacing of said keeper relative to said discharge opening, bolt means movably mounted in said housing and engageable with said catch and pyramidal portions of said keeper in said closed position for locking said door in said position, and means including a shaft mounted on said outside face of said door and connected to said bolt means for controlling operation of said mechanism.

4. A door locking mechanism for a hinged door swingable to close a discharge opening of a hopper of a railway hopper car, comprising a housing fixedly mounted on an outside face of and extending through an opening in said door, said housing in a closed position of said door extending into said hopper for protecting parts of said mechanism from lading, a keeper mounted in said hopper within said discharge opening thereof and initially adjustable in spacing relative to said opening from without said hopper, a member movably mounted in said housing and engageable with said keeper in said closed position for locking said door in said position, means on said member and engageable by a bar inserted through said door opening for prying said member out of engagement with said keeper and thereby releasing said door for swinging to open position, and means including a shaft mounted on said outside face of said door and connected to said member for controlling operation of said mechanism.

5. A door locking mechanism for a hinged door swingable to close a discharge opening of a hopper of a railway hopper car, comprising a housing fixedly mounted on an outside face of and extending through an opening in said door, said housing in a closed position of said door extending into said hopper for protecting parts of said mechanism from lading, a keeper mounted in said hopper within said discharge opening thereof and initially adjustable in spacing relative to said opening from without said hopper, a bolt member movably mounted in said housing and having a bifurcated tongue engageable with and overlying a pyramidal portion of said keeper in said closed position for locking said door in said position, means on said bolt member for receiving a pry bar inserted through said door opening for prying said tongue out of engagement with said keeper, an operating arm member projecting from said outside face into a portion of said bolt member for shifting said bolt member into and out of engagement with said keeper, and means including a shaft mounted on said outside face and mounting said operating arm member for controlling operation of said mechanism.

6. A door locking mechanism for a hinged door swingable to close a discharge opening of a hopper of a railway hopper car, comprising a housing fixedly mounted on an outside face of and extending through an opening in said door, said housing in a closed position of said door extending into said hopper for protecting parts of said mechanism from lading, a keeper mounted in said hopper within said discharge opening thereof and initially adjustable in spacing relative to said opening from without said hopper, a bolt member movably mounted in said housing and engageable with said keeper in said closed position for locking said door in said position, a con-i necting bar rotatably mounted on said outside face of said door, an operating arm member mounted on an inner end portion of and rotatable with said connecting bar and operatively connected to said bolt member for shifting said bolt member into and out of position to engage said keeper on rotation of said bar, a bearing housing mounted on said outside face of said door and journalling an outer end portion of said bar, a detent member pivotally connected to said bearing housing, and spaced parallel ribs integral with said bar and disposed to receive said detent for locking said bar against rotation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 Stamm Dec. 30, 1890 Clark Oct. 17, 1893 Suckfield Jan. 22, 1928 Wilson July 2, 1929 Anderson Mar. 31, 1931 10 Tatum Oct. 30, 1934 8 Holmes Oct. 20, 1936 Zimrher Mar. 10, 1953 Dorey Mar. 10, 1953 Ingram May 1 2, 1953 Zimmer May 12, 1953 Katz July 7, 1953 Dorey Jan. 17, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Apr. 19, 1951 

